The Woodstock Generation started food co-ops in the 70s to provide
healthy food cheap, by pooling labor. They confronted capitalism,
hierarchy, and agribusiness' abuses of human health, labor, nature and
animals. They sought community control of capital, for local benefit.

As the Boomers aged they became America's landowners, landlords,
executives and investors. Their food co-ops likewise gradually
gentrified, becoming New Age convenience stores less committed to low
prices, bulk food staples, whole foods, non-corporate brands, member
labor, member committees. Food co-ops became job machines whose
greatest priority is the payroll.

This has been done in the name of "professionalization," to ensure
co-op survival in a capitalist world.

There is a difference between professionalization and corporatization,
however. Co-op Grocer magazine promotes corporate "industry standards"
and the costly consultants who reinforce these.

They
endorse "Policy Governance," which explicitly disparages
membership committees. It also requires the co-op board of directors to
"speak with one voice," blocking minority board views. Such governance
relegates directors to broad discussion of goals and values. Meanwhile
their General Managers must interpret lofty goals narrowly, as payroll
pressures grow.

Co-op Boomers have thus abandoned their children
and grandchildren to a brutal debt-ridden economy with depleted natural
resources, without truly affordable safety nets for food, health and
finance. While Boomers fade and drain Social Security, Busters will
need to revive genuine co-op traditions to meet their needs. They can
professionalize without corporatizing.

This means their new
co-ops will stay lean and green, by hiring only those who live simply--
more excited by mission than money. New co-ops will need to avoid
mortgages and slash utility bills by rehabbing marginal properties with
member labor and deep insulation; relying on community credits and
barter; stocking low-markup bulk staples grown regionally; starting
affiliate health co-ops, housing co-ops, revolving loan funds, and
regional stock exchanges.

These mutual aid programs, and community solidarity, will be their
social security.

Glover
is a Boomer and founder of member-owned organizations for grassroots
control of food, fuel, health care, jobs, schools and finance. http://paulglover.org